


the life

by etheralavellan



Series: Pusher [3]
Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: A little angst, Couch Cuddles, F/M, First Kiss, Mando finally gets a happy ending, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, baby mando, no beta reader we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-14
Updated: 2020-03-14
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:53:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23140501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/etheralavellan/pseuds/etheralavellan
Summary: The Mandalorian returns to a surprise and a decision must be made.
Relationships: Din Djarin/Reader, The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV)/Reader, The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV)/You
Series: Pusher [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1624099
Comments: 20
Kudos: 196





	the life

Din’s legs felt like jelly as they carried him straight toward your door, ignoring the stares his armor always got him. It had been far too long since he had seen you—nearly a standard year at this point. 

Directly after his mission, he set out to find the child a home. It proved a challenge, as expected. He never figured out the kid’s species, and it didn’t feel right leaving him with humans who would die before the child even reached adolescence. If his lifespan wasn’t obviously so much longer than Din’s, he would’ve kept him. But Din couldn’t be that selfish. The kid needed someone who could be there for him as he grew up, someone who wasn’t a drifter and who could provide all the love and attention he deserved. If he was being honest with himself, Din almost regretted never showing his face to the child. The events of the last few years provided him a different perspective on the Way—maybe his view had been wrong all along. 

It did him no good to dwell on regrets, however. He had left the child on a fairly isolated planet that saw little to no crime, in the care of an exiled Draethos couple. They had helped Din when his ship broke down on the planet, and they immediately bonded with the child. This combined with their pacifist mindset, yet coming from a race of capable warriors to be able to protect the kid, along with their centuries long life span, it only seemed natural to allow them to give him a home. They dubbed the child Jeldok, and assured Din that he was welcome to visit whenever he liked. He trusted the child was in good hands, but would likely make sure to come back as often as he could. 

Finally, Din arrived on your doorstep. He hesitated as he raised his fist. It had been so long and he was too busy to stop by or find out how to contact you to let you know he was alive. What if you had assumed the worst and moved on?

Din quickly shook his head to clear the negative thoughts. There was nothing he could do if that were the case; he just needed to see you and if you didn’t want him, he’d be on his way to distract himself with likely too dangerous bounties to fill the void. With that in mind, he finally rapped on the door, three times, as usual. 

It took slightly longer than normal before he heard the clicking of the locking mechanism, and your footsteps definitely seemed to be deliberately softer. The oddities were pushed to the back of his mind, however, when the door swung open to reveal you to him. 

You looked different, hair a bit messier than normal and the faintest of dark circles adorning your eyes, but it didn’t matter to him. You were the most beautiful thing he had seen. The way your eyes lit up and shone with happy tears, unable to stop a grin from taking over your face, warmed his heart. 

“What brings you here today?” You questioned in a joking manner despite the heavy emotions over taking the both of you. 

“My heart hurts,” he answered honestly, inviting himself in and closing the door behind him, wasting no time pulling you into an embrace. He knew his armor was probably hurting you, but he couldn’t make himself let go and you weren’t complaining. Instead, you hugged him tighter, tears openly streaming from your eyes as you told him over and over how much you missed him and how glad you were that he was safe. 

Din wasn’t sure how long the two of you stood there, holding onto each other like one might disappear if the other let go. What he was sure of, though, was the absolute shock that wracked his body when he heard the undeniable cry of a baby. You detached yourself from his arms with lightning speed and vanished into the hallway, only to return a few moments later with an infant cradled in your arms. 

A flurry of emotions flashed across Din’s face—shock, anger, betrayal, hurt—and he was eternally grateful you couldn’t see them behind his helmet. He was able to tear his eyes away from the infant long enough to look at your face, painted with uncertainty and fear. You had nothing to fear, though. No matter how hurt or upset he was, he would never lash out at you. He was disappointed you were even afraid of him. 

“Sorry, I… I didn’t know you moved on,” he broke the pregnant silence. Your eyebrows furrowed, but he couldn’t wait for a response. His lip was quivering and he felt the sting of tears threatening to spill as he turned to make his way to the door. 

“Din, wait!” you yelled after him, causing him to stop in his tracks. He was reluctant to turn around. He heard the soft patter of your feet shuffling toward him, and felt the gentle pressure of a hand on his arm. He had yet to turn. 

“She’s yours!” you confessed, and finally Din gained enough of his senses back to look. 

He couldn’t deny it if he wanted to. Her fragile skin was bronzed as his, thick dark curls adorning her tiny head. As the baby stared up at her reflection in his shiny armor, the only feature he could find that you passed to her was your eye color. She was the most perfect thing he had laid eyes on, and he knew he was wrapped already. 

Din released a breath he didn’t know he was holding as he dragged his gloved hands down his helmet. His armor, that he usually knew as safety, suddenly felt all too confining. He had to make a choice. 

“I… have to use the ‘fresher,” Din stammered as he stumbled through the hall. 

Once in the small room, he closed and locked the door behind him, removing his helmet and dropping it unceremoniously onto the counter. He splashed his face with cold water before making eye contact with his reflection. He had been on the fence for a while now, but was he truly ready to make this decision? Could he turn from the Way just like that? Could he turn away from a family, from love? With a groan he stared at the blasted helmet, weighing each option in his head. 

He shouldn’t have to compromise one for the other. Not for the first time in recent years, he wondered if the more liberal tribes he once looked down on for so freely removing their helmet around family were actually right. If he allowed his partner, his own _child_ , see his face, would that make him any less Mandalorian?

~*~

You waited patiently with bated breath, gently rocking your daughter and trying to fight the fresh tears that were threatening to spill over. Now that you knew Din was alive, you wanted nothing more than to have him be a part of your baby’s life. However, his reactions weren’t promising. You were scared of what he might say when he returned.

After what felt like an eternity, you heard footsteps nearing the living room. You turned to speak, but the words died in your throat as you didn’t see armor, only heavy canvas pants and a thin shirt exposing toned, tanned arms and large hands. You gasped and squeezed your eyes shut before you saw his face, and you subconsciously brought a hand up to cover your daughter’s eyes as well. 

You felt a hand move yours away from the baby’s face, and you peaked an eye open to look down at her. Din’s hand was resting on her head, thumb gently rubbing patterns on her forehead as she stared up at him and cooed in delight. You couldn’t fight the grin that took over your face. 

Then, Din’s other hand found its way beneath your chin, coaxing your head up before dropping to grip your waist. 

You pursed your lips and tried to fight back tears— _damn hormones_. The man was breathtaking. Messy, dark curls and the scruff of a beard framed his face. A prominent nose stuck out from his features, and your mind briefly drifted to the Child and how much he would love it. Crow’s feet decorated dark brown eyes, slightly closed from the soft smile he was wearing.

“Din…” you muttered, smile mirrored on your own face as you allowed tears to spill freely. You fought the need to ask about the Way—you just wanted to live in this happy moment for now.

~*~

If he were being honest with himself, Din didn’t know why it had taken so long to make this decision. The look of pure joy on your face, hearing soft coos and grunts from his baby—he thought his heart may burst from happiness. It was a feeling he could get used to.

With a sigh of relief—he felt _freed_ —Din bent down to rest his forehead against yours. Feeling the warmth of your skin against his, noses brushing, your breath tickling his cheeks, it all felt so much more intimate than he could ever imagine. He was reluctant to move, but there was something he needed to ask. 

His gaze dropped to the fragile infant in your hands. “Can I hold her?”

“Is that even a question?” you replied with a warm smile. Carefully, you placed the tiny human in his arms, guiding him to support her neck properly. 

Din’s heart was so full, he wasn’t sure if he could hold more love as he stared at his daughter in awe. She smacked her lips and cooed, returning his amazed stare with big eyes. He didn’t even fight the tears that dropped to her full cheeks, and didn’t have to look up to know you were bound to be shedding tears of joy, as well. 

With the utmost care, having never held something so fragile, Din slowly made his way to the couch, sitting and hoisting the baby up until her cheek rested against the crook of his neck. Her thin skin was warm against his, the hand on her back rising rhythmically with her calm breaths. When he felt your weight next to him, resting your own head against his other shoulder and placing a hand on his knee, Din was certain he had died and gone to whatever heaven was out there. 

“I… haven’t exactly named her yet,” you stated sheepishly, cheeks warming. “I was trying to give you enough time to come back and help decide.”

Din felt a pang of regret. How long were you willing to wait for the man who up and left you? You went through a whole pregnancy and birth without him, and still waited for him to return. He missed watching your belly grow, getting a nursery and toys and supplies ready, holding your hand during labor, his daughter’s first cry. With a deep, reassuring breath, he shook those thoughts from his mind. He was here now, and he’d do whatever he could to make up for lost time. 

“Asha,” he pondered aloud. Life, hope; two things you, the child, and this bundle of joy had given him. 

Your head rose from his shoulder to lock eyes as a soft smile graced your features. “Asha,” you rested the name on your lips. “It’s perfect.”

He returned your smile with one of his own, pulling you closer. You surprised him by bringing your face closer to his, and as much as he had dreamed of being able to kiss you, he wasn’t prepared. He crashed his lips to yours a little too eagerly at first, bumping teeth and consequently reeling back in embarrassment, his face heating up and stumbling over an apology. 

You merely chuckled and placed a soft hand on his cheek, turning his face to yours once again. “It’s alright,” you reassured, “no one’s first kiss is ever graceful.”

This time, he held still and closed his eyes as you pressed your lips against his. They were softer than he could imagine, and it took a moment before he had the brains to mold his mouth against yours. He sighed in pleasure, such a simple contact sending electricity through his body. He had wanted this for far too long. 

All too soon, you withdrew, hand covering his on Asha’s back as you grinned up at him. He couldn’t fight his own grin as he looked back and forth between you and his daughter, his _aliit_.

**Author's Note:**

> They finally get a happy ending!!! This is getting marked as complete for now. I had originally intended to have a smutty second chapter, but this feels like a good, happy ending. I may revisit this series with various one shots, though, if you all would like. I’m also trying to keep it open to your own head canon if Din actually turned his back on the way—I meant for him to abandon it but once I actually wrote it it didn’t feel quite right. As always, thank you all for reading and all the support and kudos! I hope you all enjoyed this conclusion 🙂


End file.
